Always grateful
by acfever999
Summary: Lucy and Natsu have been dating for 4 years now. But one day when Lucy goes for a health check, it is confirmed that she has heart failure. This means that she might not have much time left. How is she going to cope with the terrible news and how is Natsu going to handle the news. And just how strong is their love? (sorry for the bad summery but i really can't summerize)
1. Chapter 1

Lucy sat in the waiting room nervously as she waited for her name to be called. She kept playing with her bag and moving her feet anxiously.

"Lucy Heartifilia?" called a kind looking nurse.

"Here."

"Come with me please." Lucy got up straight away and hurried after the nurse who directed her into an empty office.

"Please wait here until the doctor comes" said the Nurse as she exited the room. Lucy looked around the room. It was a neat little office with an organized filing cabinet and a medium sized desk in the middle. Lucy turned her head as the door opened to reveal a wise looking doctor in a smart white coat. The doctor took a seat before offering his hand.

"Good afternoon Miss. Heartifilia. I am Doctor Gorou." Said the doctor as Lucy reached out to shake his hand.

"So…what are the results of the test doctor?" asked Lucy nervously. She felt sick in her stomach as the doctor took out a file from his drawer. Lucy watched as he flipped through the papers and heard him let out a soft sigh.

"Miss Heartifilia, I'm sorry to inform you that the results are positive. You have a heart failure."

Lucy stared in shock at the doctor. So it was true, she needed a new heart. Tears streamed down her face. How I am going to tell Natsu, she thought.

"Miss Heartifilia, we should discuss the best way to handle this situation now" said Doctor Gorou while handing Lucy a handkerchief. Lucy took it gratefully and dabbed her eyes.

"W-What do you su-suggest we do doctor?"

"Well, we have to put you on the waiting list for a heart transplant. And looking at the list, it may take awhile. And the situation your heart is in right now, you may not make it." Lucy continued to cry.

"I-I see doctor. Thank you for today."

"Your welcome. Please come in every two weeks for a check up and please don't do anything that might strain you."

"Yes doctor. Thank you."

Lucy exited the hospital with a heavy heart. Natsu would be heartbroken. Lucy knows that Natsu will overreact at a problem like this. Lucy took the long way home as she needed a lot of fresh air. She and Natsu have been dating for the past 4 years and they have even discussed marriage.

"Oh Natsu…" mumbled Lucy as she reached the front steps of their house. It was a nice little town house located in front of the river bank. Natsu and Lucy lived in a peaceful community where there wasn't much noise. Lucy opened the front door and went in.

"Natsu? Are you home?" The house was dark and their cat, Mittens, came running to greet Lucy. Lucy gently picked up her chubby cat and stroked her head.

"Hello mittens, has daddy come home yet?"

"Meow….meoowwww…" purred Mittens as it wanted Lucy to put him down.

"Meoowwwwwwww" purred mittens as he turned and began walking towards the kitchen. Lucy took off her shoes and followed her cat into the dark kitchen. She looked around to see no one there.

"Mitt-"

Suddenly, the lights turned on. Lucy spun around and saw Natsu kneeling down.

"Natsu! What are you doing?!" said Lucy as she was shocked at his appearance. Natsu stuck his hand in his pocket and took out a small box. When he opened it, Lucy gasped as she saw the ring in it. The ring had a diamond in the middle and had small crystals surrounding it. It was the most beautiful ring Lucy has ever seen.

"Natsu! It's beautiful!" exclaimed Lucy. Natsu smiled and took Lucy's hand.

"Lucy, we have been dating for 4 years now and I feel that you are the right one for me. So, will you marry me?"


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy stared at Natsu in shock. She couldn't believe what was happening to her. Her heart raced with excitement. Natsu looked back at Lucy with those big puppy eyes of his that he knew that Lucy can't resist. Lucy nodded quickly and Natsu slid the ring onto Lucy's slim finger. Natsu stood up only to be tackled by Lucy in a big bear hug. Hugged and kissed in happiness.

The next day, Lucy called all of her friends together. They all met at the local coffee shop. When Lucy told them the news and showed them her ring, the girls went crazy. Levy and Cana screamed at the top of their lungs and even Erza stopped eating her strawberry cheesecake. And whenever she puts down that fork, it meant business. Mira was already plotting what to do about the wedding. She even plans to have a special place in her dress for her camera to capture every moment of the wedding.

"Guys, I actually have some bad news" said Lucy once everyone has calmed down.

"What is it Lucy?" asked Levy big eyed. "Is it about Natsu?" asked the concerned blue haired mage.

"Well, I really don't know how to tell you guys this. But you guys can't tell anyone else, especially Natsu. He must never find out." All the mages nodded and Lucy took a sip of her coffee.

"Guys, I have heart failure." There was a long silence between the good friends before Lucy started speaking again.

"You guys can't tell Natsu okay. I don't know how he would react."

"But Lucy you –"said Levy before getting cut off by Erza.

"Lucy, what is your doctor doing now?"

"Well, I have to wait for an available heart and I might not last long." All her friends just stared at her. A tear ran down Lucy's face as she grabbed a tissue. Mira got up and went over to hug Lucy as she started crying too. Soon, the whole table was silently in tears. The other customers were looking at the table as if aliens were sitting around it.

"We'll be with you Lucy." Choked Levy as she struggled to smile. The others nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys. You guys are the best friends anyone can ever have." Said Lucy as she grabbed another tissue to blow her nose.

-2 weeks later-

"Ahh, welcome back Miss Heartifilia. I have good news and bad news for you today." Said Doctor Gouru as Lucy came into the office.

"Can you tell me the good news first please?" asked Lucy nervously.

"Well, I'm happy to say that in your current situation, I am allowed to bump you up the list."

Lucy sighed with relief.

"And the bad news?"

"Well, bumping you up the list does not mean it a heart will be available yet. You still have at least 4 months before a heart might be available for you."

Lucy's excitement left her quickly when she heard the bad news. So many things were happening to her. She was getting married soon and then her heart failure. Suddenly, Lucy's phone rang.

"Hello? This is Lucy."

Lucy's eyes widened as she hung up. Tears welled in her eyes as she rushed out of the office.

"Miss Heartifilia! Where are you going?" Yelled the doctor as Lucy rushed to the elevators. When she reached the first floor, she dashed over to the receptionist.

"Where is Natsu!?" yelled Lucy. The receptionist was shocked by Lucy's appearance held up a trembling finger and pointed to the emergency room.

"They wh-wheeled him in-in there." Said the lady shakily. Lucy ran over to the room just as the light went on for surgery.

"Please be okay." Mumbled Lucy.


	3. Chapter 3

2 hours later, the surgeons emerged from the room, pulling Natsu lying on a bed with them. Lucy got up and ran up to Natsu.

"Doctor, will Natsu be okay?" cried Lucy as she reached out to hold Natsu's hand. Natsu's hand felt cold and lifeless. Natsu laid on the bed in a deep sleep as the doctor spoke to Lucy.

"Miss Heartifilia, I'm sorry to tell you that Natsu is brain dead." Once Lucy heard the news, she started sobbing uncontrollably. She fell to the floor as she felt the surgeon pat her on the back.

"Natsu…..Natsu…..Na-"muttered Lucy before she blacked out.

Lucy woke up and found herself on a hospital bed surrounded by her friends. She tried to get up, only to get pushed back down again by Levy.

"Lucy, you need to rest."

"Can I please sit up a little?" said Lucy.

"Fine." Levy propped Lucy up on the bed. Lucy saw Erza, Mira, and Cana was there too. Lucy accepted the cup of water from Cana and took a long drink before speaking again.

"Guys, what exactly happened?" The girls looked at each other nervously. Levy spoke first.

"Well, Natsu was coming back from work. It was really slippery because it was raining right? And then he kinda got out of control." Levy couldn't bring herself to say any more as she burst into tears. Mira patted her on the back, but she also had tears trickling down her face.

"And then a car coming his way didn't see him, and they collided." Mira said no more as she herself could say no more. Everyone sitting around Lucy was silent and was looking elsewhere with tears running down their faces.

"I want to see Natsu." Said Lucy. Erza began speaking.

"Now Lucy, tha-"

"I WANT TO SEE HIM NOW!" shouted Lucy. "Please….I just want to hold his hand." Pleaded Lucy. She wiped her tears away with her sleeve and started to get up from bed. But once she stood up, her legs buckled and she fell. But Cana, who was sitting beside her, quickly got up and caught her before she hit the ground. Cana helped Lucy stand up straight and started leading her to a wheelchair.

"Hey, you guys coming or what." Said Cana as she started wheeling Lucy out. The others rushed after Lucy and Cana and they all made their way to Natsu's ward. Cana wheeled Lucy into the room. The curtains were drawn and there were flowers in the vase on the bedside table. On the bed lay Natsu. He was so still and the machine beeped in a slow and steady rhythm. Cana wheeled Lucy to the bed and Lucy took Natsu's hand. No more tears would come out of her eyes as she stroked the pale and cold hands. Natsu's face looked so peaceful, as if he was only sleeping and would wake up tomorrow morning. Mira signaled everyone to leave the room so that Lucy and Natsu could be together.

"Natsu…" mumbled Lucy as she kissed Natsu's hand. Lucy stayed beside Natsu the whole day until she unconsciously drifted off to sleep.

Lucy slowly opened her eyes and found herself on a bed beside Natsu. She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes sleepily. They were all puffy and swollen from crying. She heard noise and turned her head to see a nurse dressed in white writing on a notepad. The nurse looked up and smiled at Lucy.

"Good morning Miss Heartifilia. I hope you had a good night's rest. We have moved your belongings into this room as we thought you might want to stay here a bit longer. Your things are in the cabinet beside you." Said the Nurse happily.

"Thank you very much. How is Natsu?"

"Mr. Dragneel is doing very well. His heart rate is normal and everything in his body seems to be working fine."

"Thank you." Lucy got up from bed and sat down on a chair beside Natsu and held his hand gently. The nurse walked over to the drawer beside Natsu took out a silver necklace. She handed it to Lucy and Lucy examined the necklace closely. On the necklace's pendent were Natsu's and her initials, followed by a heart. The heart had a diamond in it.

"He was holding on to that necklace when we got to him. We were certain that it was for you." Said the kind nurse. Lucy got a little bit shocked at the nurse's voice as she forgot that the nurse was still there.

"Thank you." Said Lucy gratefully as she put on the necklace. Before the nurse left the room she said one more thing.

"Oh, and Miss Heartifilia, maybe talking to him will help. He can hear you." And with that she closed the door and left. Lucy looked at Natsu.

"Natsu?" Lucy said hopefully. Of course there was no response.

"Ummm…Natsu, thank you for the necklace. I'm sorry we couldn't have a wedding." Lucy found it harder to speak as she was about to cry again. She touched the necklace around her neck gently. Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Doctor Gouru.

**Well guys, umm new chapter!XD sorry if the plot line is really obvious T.T and my other story with the really long title, i'm having writer's block so ya. Ignore that story for a while... ANYWAYSSSSSSS THANKS FOR ALL THE FAVOURITES AND FOLLOWERS OF THIS STORY! I'm touched *sniff sniff ^.^ CREAM PUFFS FOR THE WORLD**


	4. Chapter 4

"Doctor Gouru? What are you doing here?" asked Lucy, clearly surprised at his appearance. Doctor Gouru stayed silent as he entered the room, followed by a nurse and another doctor. Lucy stood up, letting go of Natsu's hand, and made way for the doctors to stand around Natsu.

"Miss Heartifilia, please step away from Mr Dragneel for a moment." Said the other doctor. Lucy, too confused to say anything, stood back and sat down on a chair near the next bed. The doctors looked at the machines and took down notes. Then they started whispering rapidly, too soft and fast for Lucy to understand.

"Miss Heartifilia, may we please speak to you?" asked the other doctor.

"Y-yes, of course." Replied Lucy as she followed doctor Gouru out of the room. The doctors led Lucy down the corridor and into an office. The doctors sat opposite of Lucy and Lucy could not make out the writing on the clipboard that the doctors were taking notes on as it was too messy.

"I am Doctor Dragneel." Said the doctor. Lucy stared at him wide-eyed. If he is doctor Dragneel, thought Lucy, then he must be-

"Natsu's father!" cried Lucy as she jumped out of her seat. She quickly sat down again, as the doctor Dragneel began to speak again.

"Yes, I am Natsu's father. And I have been keeping a close eye on Natsu and I heard that you guys were getting married."

"Yes Mr Dragneel. We were getting married, but now…..now…it is…impossible." Lucy managed to say without crying.

"I am very sorry about what had happened. I-"

"Why weren't you there for Natsu though? How come you're keeping a close eye on Natsu even though he doesn't talk about you a lot? You've never visited us once. You've never said hello. You've never been in our lives until now. Why?" Lucy blurted out all these questions. The shock was overwhelming her.

"Miss Heartifilia…..Lucy, can we please talk about family matters later? We have something important to discuss with you right now. And this concerns Natsu." Lucy sat up a little straighter and took a deep breath to clear her mind.

"Now Miss Heartifilia," said Doctor Gouru, "I have asked Doctor Dragneel here to monitor Natsu after I had heard that he was involved in a car crash. I knew that Doctor Dragneel was Natsu's father because we are actually pretty good friends. So the reason why we need to talk to you is because when we were doing the usual checks, this was when you were sleeping, we noticed that his brain had started a little." Lucy couldn't belive her ears. The doctors were telling her that there might be a chance that Natsu's brain could work again. Her heart beat rapidly against her chest as she struggled to contain her excitement.

"Now Lucy," said Doctor Dragneel, "After his brain had started, it immediately fell back into its original state. Dead. So there is a 0.5% chance that his brain will start up again."

"Now Miss Heartifilia," continued Doctor Gouru, "Since Natsu is brain dead, and his heart is suitable for donation, we can maybe use his heart for your heart transplant. Your blood type and his blood type are the same and his heart is healthy. So it is your choice Miss Heartifilia. You can hope for his brain to spark again, or you can use his heart." This was a tough question for Lucy. It was like as if the doctors were trying to test her hope and love for Natsu. Lucy kept playing with the hem of her shirt nervously while trying to decide what the best option was. Finally after what seemed like hours, Lucy made up her mind.

"I'll choose hope."

**SOOOOO 4th chapter... i dunno why i'm adding this...but YAY kekeke hope you guys like it ^.^~~3**


	5. Chapter 5

The doctors just simply stared at Lucy after hearing her answer. Doctor Dragneel has been working in this hospital for 20 years but has never seen someone with so much hope for a hopeless patient.

"Very well, Miss Heartifilia," said Doctor Gouru, "It is your choice. But if we continue to provide life support for Natsu, it is going to cost quite a lot."

"Yes Lucy, you have to consider this carefully." Added Doctor Dragneel.

"Are you trying to tell me that you doctors have no hope in Natsu even after you saw his brain spark? You're trying to change my decision by money problems?" said Lucy annoyed. "Name your price." The doctors just stared at Lucy. They have never seen such a confident person like Lucy.

"The life support machines are really expensive. In total, his hospital fees will cost about 7,000,000 jewels." Said Doctor Dragneel, "And that doesn't even include tax." Lucy felt her heart drop inside her chest. 7,000,000 jewels, where was she going to get that much money! The only person she knew who had that much money was her father. And she hasn't spoken to him ever since she ran away from home about 9 years ago.

"7,000,000 JEWELS?!" cried Lucy. She slumped down into her chair and felt all the hope in her drain away again. She knew she had no choice to go to her father and ask for funds.

"I'm sorry Miss Heartifilia, but the cost of the machines and the salaries these days are rising. So medical assistance is very pricy these days. 7,000,000 jewels can cover about 8 months. So after 8 months, another 7,000,000 jewels is needed." Explained Doctor Gouru. Lucy wrecked her brain trying to come up with another plan other than going back to her dad but there was none. Her friends were struggling themselves, trying to find jobs as there was a decrease in employment in this area of Magnolia.

"I understand doctors. Just give me a few days to gather the funds." Replied Lucy. The doctors looked at each other and nodded in response.

"Thank you doctor Gouru, doctor Dragneel." Lucy stood up and left the room.

-On a train-

Lucy watched the scenery change rapidly as she got closer and closer to her new home. She knew she had no choice. She knew that Natsu would come back to her so she had to get her father's help. Slowly the train's passengers got out one by one, by the time Lucy had reached the Heartifilia estate, she was the only one left on the train. Lucy felt butterflies in her stomach as she walked towards the large door of the mansion. She wore he best clothes and tide her hair into a neat little bun, hoping that her father would not criticise her clothes that much. She held up her trembling hands and knocked the brass lion shaped knocker 3 times. There was a brief moment of silence before she heard footsteps on the other side of the door. The door opened and Butler, the same butler that has worked at the Heartifilia mansion since Lucy was a child, came out from the house.

"BUTLER!" Lucy squealed happily as she threw her arms around him.

"Lucy? Is it really you?" cried butler, taken aback by her appearance.

"Butler! It's really me!" cried Lucy as she pulled away from Butler. Butler's eyes welled up with tears of joy. The relationship between Butler and Lucy was like father and daughter. Butler was like Lucy's second father as her real father did not pay much attention to Lucy after her mother died. Butler was Lucy's source of comfort and happiness.

"It's chilly outside so let's go in." said Butler as he held the door for Lucy. Lucy stepped into the mansion and noticed that there were barely any changes at all. There were fewer maids but the house was still in good condition. The paintings were never crooked and the flowers were fresh in their vases.

"WELCOME HOME LUCY!" shouted the maids and the cooks. Lucy rubbed her eyes as tears of joy ran down her face. She hugged everyone happily and greeted some of the new help. Suddenly, the doors of the study flung opened to reveal Lucy's father. Jude Heartifilia walked down the grand stairwell and his footsteps echoed throughout the house. No one made a sound and watched as he walked towards Lucy. Lucy held her breath as she forced herself to look straight at her father's wrinkled face. She looked into her father's eyes and was taken aback to see that the once cold eyes were filled with warmth and happiness. Her father took her by surprise by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome back Lucy. We have missed you."

"Y-yes father." Replied Lucy, not daring to meet her father's eyes. Her father led Lucy into his study and asked Butler to bring some tea and sandwiches. Lucy looked around her father's study. Everything had not changed one bit. But there was something that caught her eye. On the wall were her mother's portrait used to be was a family photo of the Heartifilia family. Her father looked younger and her mother was smiling happily. And there was young Lucy sitting on her mother's lap, clearly annoyed at the dress they had put on her. Lucy could not help but smile at the picture of her mother.

"Your mother was the loveliest person I have ever met." Said her Jude as he sat down behind his desk. His voice brought Lucy out of her thoughts and back to reality.

"Father….I have a question."

"Ask away Lucy."

"Why are you not angry at me?" asked Lucy cautiously. Her father looked at Lucy and smiled. There was a knock on the door and Butler came in with the tea and sandwiches.

"Eat Lucy, you must be hungry." Said her Jude.

"Y-yes father." Said Lucy obediently as she took a sandwich and took a bite out of it.

"Now that you have eaten something, I shall ask you what is it that you want to ask me."

"How did you know?" asked Lucy, surprised at her father.

"You would not come all the way back here unless you have no choice but to ask me for help." Replied Jude. Lucy hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to tell her father everything that had just happened over the past years. So, she started from the very beginning.

**OOPS there was a mistake my bad hehehhe but fixed it !~~~~~**


	6. Chapter 6

"Ahhh…I see." Said Jude as he sipped his tea. It must be his fifth cup now since Lucy started explaining to him everything that happened.

"Sooo….what are your thoughts on it?" Lucy asked cautiously.

"Well, I could help you..hmm…." replied her father, deep in thought. Lucy nervously sipped her tea as she waits for her father's reply.

"Well," began Jude, "It is getting late and I think you need some rest. After traveling all the way here, you must be tired. We will discuss this tomorrow."

"Y-yes father…" replied Lucy as she stood up to leave the room. Butler led her to her old room and Lucy noticed nothing had changed. Her big four poster bed has a little bit of dust on it but everything else was the same. Memories flooded back into Lucy's head as she stepped into the room. She remembered her mother reading her stories in the rocking chair by the window. She remembered when her mother and father and her were all laughing and playing together in the room. She felt a tear trickle down her face as she looked at the picture of her once happy family hanging on the wall.

"Thank you Butler." Said Lucy as she opened the wardrobe.

"You're welcome Lucy. Call us if you need anything." Said Butler as he closed the room door. Lucy changed into her sleeping clothes before climbing into her bed. She stared into the darkness of her room and sighed before slowly drifting off to sleep.

-Next Morning-

Lucy heaved herself out of bed and felt really sore everywhere. She stretched for a long time before washing up and heading down to the dining room for breakfast. Lucy greeted her father before sitting down at the opposite side of the table, facing her dad. Jude looked up from the morning paper with a serious expression.

"Lucy, I thought about last night, and I have decided to help you." Jude Heartifilia said. Lucy nearly choked on her breakfast in surprised. After a few gulps of water, Lucy was ready to answer her father.

"Really father!? THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Lucy was about to jump up and hug her father if he hadn't said but really loudly.

"But?" asked Lucy nervously. She forgot that her father was a businessman and would always have a consequence.

"But, you have to agree to whatever I tell you to do." Jude said. Lucy considered it for a moment. She knew she has no choice because it was her only option to keep Natsu partially alive. She hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.

"As you know, Lucy, that you are my only daughter and child. And after I die, you will have to take ownership of my business, being the only heir. But, the thing is, for many generations in our family, the women heirs have always had to marry someone of the same rank as their family." Jude stopped speaking to let his words sink into Lucy. The words hit Lucy hard and she felt like her heart was weighed down by an anchor. She knew where this was going. This happened to her when she was 16 too. She was about to have an arranged marriage.

"I will pay for Natsu's medical bills. But you will have to agree to marry the person I picked out for you." Lucy felt tears in her eyes as she stared down at her food. She couldn't look up to her dad.

"Y-yes….father." replied Lucy, choking on her tears. She has to do it for Natsu.

"Lucy, I will give you the money later. Please stay one more night. Your fiancé is coming over later for tea. And I would like you to meet him."

"Y-yes father." Said Lucy slowly. Jude excused himself from the table and walked off to his office. Lucy then let her tears flow freely from her eyes. Butler saw Lucy crying and hurried over to comfort her.

"Butler! What do I do! I don't want to marry someone I don't know! I love Natsu!" Cried Lucy as she hugged Butler. All Butler could do was pat her head and hug her like a loving father. Finally, Lucy stopped crying and followed the maids to her room to prepare to meet her fiancé.

The old grandfather clock in the main hallway struck 4 o'clock in the afternoon as Lucy emerged from her room. She did her hair, put on a white sundress and headed for the front door. He father was already there, dressed in his suit.

"Now Lucy, be nice. "was all her Jude had to say before the doorbell rang. Lucy hurried to her father's side, hoping her face wasn't red or her eyes weren't swollen and puffy from crying. Her father nodded to the Butler who opened the door. A fine gentleman stepped into the house, dressed top to bottom in a casual suit. Lucy stared at the ground until the man spoke.

"Hello Lucy." Lucy looked up to see Gray Fullbuster looking at her straight in the eye.

**~~~ SO FINALLY CHAPTER 6! I hope you guys like it! I still had some writer's block but I give credit to nickychua for giving me ~~~**

**BTW! Any spelling or grammar mistakes i missed, please tell me in the comments! THX**


	7. Chapter 7

Lucy stared at Gray's face. He looked like he only aged a little. You can still see some traces of his childhood in his face if you looked at him. His gentle smile was still there and his playful eyes were as mischievous as ever. But Lucy didn't see all this. All she was thinking was, "WHAT THE HECK?!"

Lucy was shocked to see Gray, her childhood friend standing in front of her. She hasn't seen him since she ran away from home. And he was the first person she told her running away plan too. Jude broke the silence between them and led the two quiet adults to the table outside in the garden. Lucy took a seat opposite Gray, still eyeing him in surprise.

"Well Lucy, I know you know Gray very well." Said Jude happily as he sipped his tea. Lucy was happy to see her childhood friend but was shocked at the same time at the idea of having to marry him to save Natsu. Gray came from a neighbouring wealthy family and his parents were very close to her parents. Mr and Mrs Fullbuster were like really close uncle and aunt to Lucy. And Gray and she were introduced to each other when they were only 4 years old, and were like brother and sisters since.

"Well Lucy, I thought that it would make your marriage more comfortable if you did it with someone you knew very well, and Gray fits every requirement of a good husband and heir to the family fortune." Lucy just stared at the ground, not know what to say. Gray hasn't said a word since their greeting at the front door. Jude sensed the tension between the two friends and excused himself to leave them alone. Once Jude had left, Gray finally started speaking.

"Well Lucy, surprised?" asked Gray sipping his tea.

"Gray! It's been so long since I've seen you! How are you! I have a million questions to ask you!" cried Lucy as she leaned forward in her chair. She was starting to get excited. All the awkwardness that they had felt between them was gone.

"Whoa! Slow down Lucy! We will have plenty of time in the world. I'm fine and my parents are fine." There was a slight moment of silence before Lucy started speaking again.

"So, Gray, how do you really feel about the marriage?" asked Lucy cautiously.

"Well, truthfully, I don't want this."

"Me too." Lucy let out a big sigh as she moved around in her chair, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Why don't you want to do the marriage?" asked Lucy as she picked up a biscuit.

"Ummm…..it's because of a girl." Said Gray softly as he turned to look somewhere else, hoping Lucy won't see how red his cheeks were. Lucy stopped eating and stared at him. Of course he has a girl in his life, he's perfect! Lucy as she bit into her biscuit.

"Tell me about her. The girl you like." Said Lucy as she poured more tea for the both of them.

"Her name's Juvia. She's not our status but I still love her anyways. She has soft blue hair and beautiful sparkly eyes. Like the ocean sparkling when the sun is shining down on it." Gray paused for a moment to think about her. "She's not like other girls. She different. That's why I want to marry her. But my parents won't allow it because she is not of the same rank. And I have to marry a lady with the same status as me so that I can take over my father's business." Gray explained. Lucy just looked at him.

"You're in the same situation as I am. I am actually engaged to a guy named Natsu. We met after I ran away from here." Lucy started telling Gray about why she had to agree into this arranged marriage. Gray and Lucy had a brief moment of silence after Lucy had told Gray all about Natsu and what was happening. Suddenly, Lucy's father came out of the house and walked towards the two young adults in the garden. And following behind him was Gray's parents.

"Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?" Gray asked, surprised at their sudden appearance.

"You too father! And why are Mr. and Mrs Fullbuster here?" Lucy asked, wide eyed.

"Let's all sit down and have a chat." Said Jude before leading his guests to the tea table in the garden.


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy greeted the Fullbusters awkwardly and led them to the tea table. Gray greeted his parents and sat down beside them. Jude took a seat beside Lucy. For what seemed like an eternity of silence, Jude Heartifilia finally broke the silence. He cleared his throat and got everybody's attention before speaking.

"Lucy, Gray, Mr and Mrs Fullbuster a are here today because we would like to discuss the wedding plans." Mr and Mrs Fullbusters smiled at the young adults as they sipped their tea. Lucy had nothing to say. She really didn't want to go through with the wedding. Gray just sat there, expressionless. Jude felt the tension in the air, but continue to talk about wedding details.

"Jude, I think that Lucy will look great in a sleeveless dress!" commented Mrs Fullbuster happily as she took out pictures to show Lucy's dad. She was so happy and excited about the wedding that she chatted away about every detail. She wanted everything to be perfect. Mr Fullbuster just smiled and nodded whenever he was asked for his opinion. Lucy couldn't care less about the dresses that Mrs Fullbuster had picked out. As time went by, she felt that the anger in her was stirring up. She fought to keep the anger hidden from her face. She hated this wedding. And she knew that Gray hated it too. She glanced over at Gray's expression and found him completely calm with no sign of anger on his face. Lucy couldn't stand it and stood up.

"Excuse me. I am not feeling very well so I'm going to rest in my room. Thank you for coming today Mr and Mrs Fullbuster." Lucy said this in her most lady like voice and left the table. She could feel their eyes burning into the back of her head as she walked into the house. She resisted the urge to turn around.

"Well, then. I didn't realize that it was getting this late. It's almost 6 o'clock. We better leave now." Said Mrs Fullbuster.

"Thank you for your generous hospitality Jude." Mr Fullbuster said as he stood up to shake Jude's hand.

"You're welcome. If you have some spare time, come over for a drink. I'll be happy to have you."

"Thank you." Replied Mr Fullbuster.

After the Fullbusters had left, Jude made his way over to Lucy's room. He knocked on the door and Lucy's voice permitted him to enter.

"You handled today very well Lucy. Thank you." Said Jude as he found his daughter sitting on her bed staring at the opposite wall. Lucy said nothing. Jude stood there in a moment of silence before excusing himself out of the room. Lucy heaved herself off the bed and changed out of her sundress into more comfortable clothing, before easing herself into the bench on her balcony. She got out her cell phone and dialed the Doctor Gouru's number.

"Gouru here, may I help you?"

"Doctor Gouru, this is Lucy Heartifilia."

"Ahh, yes. Miss Heartifilia, what can I do for you today?"

"I was just calling to check on Natsu. Was there any sign of brain activity?"

"I'm sorry to tell you that there was no sign of any brain activity. But his organs are working fine. He's in a very stable condition right now. You don't have to worry." Lucy breathed a sigh of relief.

"But Doctor, I was researching about brain death, and it said that when a person is brain dead, their brain is shut off and cannot control the organs. But why are Natsu's organs still able to function?"

"That is a question we are trying to answer too Ms Heartifilia. It is truly a miracle that his organs are still functioning. We recently did some test and x-rays and noticed that he miraculously damaged everything in his brain except the parts where the organ controls are."

"Wow Doctor. Thank you so much. Your results from the tests and knowing Natsu's condition will let me sleep better tonight."

"You take care now Ms Heartifilia. And remember, don't stress or your heart condition might worsen."

"I will Doctor, thank you." Lucy hung out the phone and felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Knowing that Natsu was ok and the miracle that happened, she felt, for the first time in weeks, happy.

-Somewhere in the midst of darkness-

"_Natsu"_

_ "Lucy"_

**SOOO CHAPTER 8~~ Hope you guys like it ^.^ oh and sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes -.- I was in a rush so I didn't edit it a lot XD**


	9. Chapter 9

-Somewhere_ in the midst of darkness-_

_ "Natsu"….."Natsu"…."Open your eyes" a voice called out. Natsu slowly opened his eyes to find himself surrounded in darkness. _

_ "WHO'S THERE? WHERE AM I?" Natsu cried out into the darkness. His voice echoed like he's trapped in a large empty room. Natsu felt strangely at peace, but also felt like he was half filled with fear. The voice didn't answer back for a long time, so Natsu started walking aimlessly. Suddenly, he felt like someone had just static shocked him. He wasn't able to move for awhile. But after recovering from the shock, he stuck out his hands to feel in front of him but the same electric shock went through his body again. _

_ "Natsu" said the voice again._

_ "Who are you?" Natsu asked as he squinted because he saw light starting to form in front of him._

_ "Natsu, look closely at the light." The voice answered. Natsu obeyed and focused at the growing light. The light shone brighter and brighter and lit up the darkness more and more. When the light settled, Natsu gasped. There was a person standing in front of him. She had the same pink hair as Natsu and her eyes were exactly the same as Natsu. Natsu gasp and fell back when he saw the woman._

_ "MOM?!" The woman smiled at him._

_ "Hello Natsu." Natsu had only seen his mother in the pictures his father had shown him. _

_ "BUT MOM! YOU PASSED AWAY WHAT I WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD?!" Natsu struggled to get up but he was shaking so much that he just fell back to the ground. "Unless…" Natsu looked up towards his mother's calm face._

_ "I'm not dead..am I?"_

_ "No Natsu. It is not your time to leave the world yet."_

_ "Then…..why am I...here…..? And why can I see you…?" Asked Natsu, his head was swarming with questions._

_ "Natsu, stand up and walk towards me." Natsu obediently got up onto his feet and walked towards his mother._

_ "Now Natsu, try reaching out for my hand." Natsu's mother stretched out her delicate hands and Natsu tried to hold it in his hand but the same shock of electricity like feeling shocked Natsu again. Natsu stumbled back, but was able to maintain his balance._

_ "Why do I keep getting shocked?" _

_ "Because we are in two different places. And it is not your time to enter my place yet."_

_ "Wait..your place? You mean heaven?"_

_ "Yes Natsu, heaven. But it is not your time to go yet, so don't worry. Right now, God has permitted me to speak to you about what you have to do on earth. Natsu, you are going to be sent back into your world. But remember this. Treasure every moment with Lucy."_

_ "How do you know about Lucy?" Natsu asked, surprised._

_ "In heaven, we see many things. Now, it's time for you to go."_

_ "Yes mother. I'll see you when I'm in heaven." Natsu couldn't stop the tears in his eyes to freefall down his face. He was actually talking with his mother face to face and didn't want to leave her._

_ "Now Natsu, don't cry. We'll see each other when it's time."_

_ "But mo-mother! I'll miss you a lot. I'll think about you everyday." Natsu replied, choking on his tears. Natsu's mother smiled one last time at her son, before disappearing as quickly as the way she had appeared. Natsu felt the cold envelope his body as he once again was surrounded by darkness. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his head as he started to see light ahead of him. He slowly walked towards the light as the pain in his temple grew worse._

-In Natsu's ward-

"DOCTOR GOURU!COME QUICK!THE PATIENT IS STIRRING" yelled the nurse on duty. She shut her phone and made her way over to Natsu. His heavy eyelids struggled to open and the pounding in his head grew worse. When he finally managed to open his eyes a little, all he saw was bright lights and blurry people. He could hear voices all around him.

"Natsu, can you hear me?" Doctor Gouru asked. Natsu slowly nodded his head once. He could make out Gouru's balding head and dark rimmed spectacles. Natsu tried speaking but no sound would come out from his mouth.

"Mr Dragneel, please don't try to speak. There is a breathing tube in your throat. We are going to remove it. Please don't move." Natsu starred at the blinding hospital lights as he felt something sliding out from his throat. The nurses changed his breathing tube to the ones that are clipped around his head and placed under his nose. By this time, Natsu's vision is clear and as his head was being propped up on several pillows, he could see many that there were many nurses in his ward and they were scrambling everywhere.

"Mr. Dragneel." Natsu slowly turned his head to face Doctor Gouru. But he was not alone. Beside him stood another doctor with the same face as Natsu except his eyes were different and his face was full of wrinkles. Natsu stared at the other doctor and mouthed father.

"Mr Drgneel, try speaking" requested Gouru. Natsu tried to say hello but it only came out as a whisper.

"Very good, we will work on that later. Now Mr Dragneel, your brain had shut down for the past two months and waking up from a dead brain is a miricle. And your organs were actually working without the help of your brain. I would like to say that your condition was very special. " Natsu managed a small smile. His father just srood there, not saying a word. Natsu felt his headache subside as the nurses helped ease him into a better sitting position. Suddenly, his stomach growled so loud it was as if a monster was living in him. He managed an embarrassed smile before the whole ward erupted into laughter.

Doctor Gouru discretly slippd out of the ward and whipped out his cellphone.

"Hello, this is Lucy -"

"Miss Heartifilia, I-"

"Sorry, I'm not available right now so please leave a message. I'll promise to call you back later."

"Miss Heartifilia, I'm Doctor Gouru. I have important news for you so please call me back as soon as you recieve this message."

-At the Heartifilia Estate-

Two months had past since she had heard anything about Natsu. Her wedding was scheduled to happen in 2 weeks and she was panicking. And latwly, she hasn't been feeling too well. She would occasionally get chest pains and she would get severe headaches that would leave her bedridden. Lucy sat in her favourite spot on her balcony and gazed at the beautiful fardens before her.

Suddenly, Lucy's chest started hurting again. But this time the feeling was different. She starting gasping for air as she felt severe pain in her heart area. She clutched her chest as she tried to stand, but her legs gave way and buckled beneath her. She started crawling, entering her room and aiming for her bedside table. By this time, her vision was blurring and the pain intensified.

"Almost there," muttered Lucy between deep breaths as she reached out for her pills. But a sharp pain jabbed her heart, like a kife ramming into her heart. She breathed one final breath, before falling to the floor, unconcious.

**-woah, that was a long chapter...hope you guys like it and thanks for the support...again^.^-**


	10. Chapter 10

"CALL THE AMBULANCE NOW!" ordered Butler as he struggled to carry Lucy and place her on the bed. The maid dropped her tray full of snacks and frantically fished out her cellphone. Butler and the maid had came to bring Lucy some snacks and had found her on the ground unconscious.

"What is all this commotion!? I can't concentrate with all this racket! bellowed Jude as he walked into the room. Then he sa butler carrying Lucy onto the bed.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO LUCY?!" yelled Jude as he ran over to Lucy's side, oblivious to all the snacks he was stepping on.

"Did somebody call the ambulance?" asked Jude as he knelt beside his daughter and stroked her head.

"Yes sir, they are on their way." replied Butler as he stood behind his master. Jude let his tears free fall from his eyes as he held Lucy's hair.

"Please be ok." whispered Jude as he softly kissed her hand. The ambulance arrived shortly after and the paramedics placed Lucy on a stretcher and rushed off to the hospital. Jude sat with Lucy in the ambulance and heard the paramedics say that her pulse was rapidly slowing down and that they had to rush her into an operating room once they reached the hospital. Jude never released his grip on Lucy's hand until she went into the operating room.

Jude felt too nervous to sit so he started pacing the waiting room, restlessly waiting for Lucy to come out.

"Mr. Heartifilia, Butler had informed me about Lucy and I came as soon as I can. How's Lucy?" Gray asked as he sped into the room.

"She's in the operating room. Her heartbeat was rapidly decreasing." Jude replied as he sat down in the waiting room chairs. Gray settled down beside him and together, they waited for Lucy.

After about 5 hours, the light above the operating room switched of and a group of surgeons appeared, followed by a group of nurses pushing Lucy towards a private ward. The head surgeon spoke to Jude and Gray and reassured them that Lucy was in a stable condition and that Doctor Gouru, Lucy's Doctor, will give him a more detailed report. Jude thanked the surgeon and rushed off with Gray to go see Lucy.

Lucy laid in her bed with tubes stuck all over her and all kinds of different machines running beside her. Standing in front of her bed was Doctor Gouru filling out a form. Jude and Gray walked into the room and greeted Doctor Gouru before sitting down.

"Doctor Gouru, How's Lucy?" Jude asked as a nurse passed them some hot tea.

"Mr. Heartifilia, your daughter is really lucky as she got to the hospital just in time so the surgeons were able to prevent her from slipping into a coma. We are not sure when she will wake up but I promise you that she will wake up." Doctor Gouru said before getting up to hang the clip board at on a wall behind him. Jude and Gray both breathed a sigh of relief and sipped at their tea.

"Thank you Doctor." said Gray as he put down his cup.

"I have one piece of bad news for you though." said Doctor Gouru. Jude and Gray froze. "I'm sorry to say that since there were no hearts available that were perfect for Lucy during the surgery, we had to give her an artificial heart in order to stabalize her. So we are not sure how she is going to react to the heart once she wakes up. If she reacts well, she will be able to live her life normally. But if the heart fails to adapt to her body, she will not have much time left."

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID SHE WAS STABLE DOCTOR!" cried Jude as he slammed his cup down onto the table, spilling the tea everywhere. His emotions were out of control. That one piece of news broke him down. Gray wiped up the mess Jude had created and brought him another cup of tea to calm his nerves.

"Mr. Heartifilia, she reacting badly to the artificial heart is most likely to not happen. There is a 76% chance she will make it and only a 24% chance she will react badly. We can do nothing about it except wait for her to wake up." Doctor Gouru explained in his most soothing voice. Jude managed to calm down and sip his tea while Doctor Gouru went on explaining in detail about Lucy's condition.

After Doctor Gouru had left, Jude asked Gray to go home and rest while he will stay with Lucy. Gray reluctantly left Jude and went home after half an hour of convincing him that it was fine for Jude to stay. Jude made himself comfortable in the comfortable hospital chair and after finally finding a comfortable position, he drifted of to a dreamless sleep.

-4 days later-

Natsu sat in his bed reading a novel while having his afternoon lunch. He felt so excited as he can't wait to see Lucy and the look on her face when she sees him. He happily munched on his apple and turned to look out the window. The weather was great today. Blue skies, little clouds, perfect weather for recovering quickly. Natsu has made speedy recovering and is able to think clearly. His recovery speed had amazed his doctor and all the nurses that were tending to him. All he has to do now is to practice his walking. Whenever he tries to stand up, his legs will give way and he will fall flat on the ground. But he will just pick himself up and try again for Lucy.

Natsu was finishing his lunch when a nurse ran into his room and grabbed a wheelchair.

"Mr. Dragneel, I had just be informed that your fiancee, Miss Lucy Heartifilia, is about to wake up from her recent heart attack. I am here to bring you to go see her."

**Chapter 10~~ hope you guys liked it ^.^**


	11. Chapter 11

**SOO CH 11 ~~Hope you like it~~**

Natsu got out of bed without a word and plopped into the wheelchair before being rushed out of his room and into the busy corridors of the hospital. Natsu was quiet and still the whole time while the nurse was busy weaving in and out of the crowded hallways. Natsu could only think of one thing, if he was the cause of Lucy's heart. Everything that has happened to Lucy when he was in a coma. Everything that Lucy had to go through. It was his fault.

Before long, the nurse stopped in front of a pair of large white doors. Natsu looked up and noticed that this area of the hospital was way less crowded and less noisy than the section he had been in. The nurse knocked the door before letting herself into the room. Around the bed stood one doctor, 3 nurses, and a very nervous looking man. When Natsu entered the room, he could feel the man staring at him with weary eyes. The nurse wheeled him towards the bed. Natsu was shocked to see the state that Lucy is in. Her hair was messy and tangled, her face was pale white, and her lips were dry and cracked. She looks lifeless. Natsu reached out to touch Lucy but the doctor stopped him.

"I would recommend that you do not touch Miss Heartifilia right now as she is in a very dangerous state." Doctor Gouru said as he released Natsu's wrist. Natsu pulled back his hand and stared at Lucy.

"What is happening to her Doctor…?" Natsu asked, not taking his eyes off Lucy as he was afraid she might disappear if he takes his eyes of her.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I am Doctor Gouru, Lucy's heart consultant and doctor. I have been looking after Lucy these past few months since she was confirmed for heart failure." The Doctor replied. Natsu's shocked face must have been obvious as Doctor Gouru raised his eyebrow at him and looked away.

"She never told me she had heart failure."Natsu told Doctor Gouru.

"Miss Heartifilia was waiting for a heart and had a heart attack about 4 days ago. We had to rush her into surgery and give her an artificial heart as a quick replacement. She is waking up and we are waiting to see how her body will react to the heart. If it reacts well, she will live a normal life. If it doesn't react well, I'm afraid she will not have much time left." Just as Doctor Gouru finished speaking, Lucy started stirring. The nurses got into their ready positions in case anything was to happen.

Lucy slowly open her eyes as light slowly streamed into her vision. She feels pain all over her body and she feels the pain worse in her heart area. She hears faint beeping noises and people rushing around her. Lucy's vision came back a little clearer after a few minutes and she could make out her father's face looking at her with worried eyes. Then she turned her head slowly and slightly to avoid the light and caught sight of another face looking at her. She could make out his pink hair and his black eyes.

"Na….Na….." was all Lucy could manage for now. Doctor Gouru nodded at Natsu and he rushed over in his wheelchair and took hold of Lucy's frail hands. He gently stroked the back of her hand as he saw her face relax a little and a tiny smile appeared at the side of her mouth.

"Miss Heartifilia, drink this and try speaking." Commanded Doctor Gouru before one of the nurses held up Lucy's head gently and poured the pink liquid into her mouth. There a silence in the air until Lucy opened her mouth to speak.

"Na...Natsu..." was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

"I'm right here Lucy." Natsu replied. Suddenly, the machines started beeping faster and the screens started flashing red. Doctor looked at monitors and his face turned pale. The nurses jumped into action and were running around the room so fast that if Jude hadn't stepped out of the way, he would have been knocked over.

"Doctor, what is happening?" Jude asked, his voice not one bit calm.

"Miss Heartifilia's body is not getting used to the heart. We have to rush her into operation again to stabilize it. I have called the heart department and they have one heart available right now and ready to go. We just have to hold on until an operating room is available." Doctor Gouru replied before rushing over to try and help Lucy.

Natsu grabbed onto Lucy's hand and started crying.

"LUCY! DON'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE! HANG ON! LUCY!" cried out Natsu as he hung his head in sadness. Jude just fell into a chair, speechless with tears running down his cheeks. He knew what this meant.

Lucy felt a great pain overwhelming her body. Her vision started to fade as she struggled to stay conscious. She could feel her energy draining as she hears Natsu crying out her name. She summoned up all her remaining energy and turned to face Natsu.

"Na…Natsu…I…*cough cough….love you….Stay strong…*cough cough cough…Smile"

After these few words, Lucy was no longer breathing.


	12. Chapter 12

_-In darkness-_

_Lucy stood confused in the darkness. She stretched out her arms and realized that she was wearing a gorgeous white dress with flower patterns on it. _

_ "That's weird..." mumbled Lucy as she could see herself even when she was surrounded by darkness. She started walking straight, well, what she thought was straight. She walked and walked, but somehow she never felt a hint of fear. She felt calm and at ease. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of Lucy. She squinted, trying to get a glimpse of the silhouette in the light. Suddenly, her mouth dropped opened as her mother stepped out of the light. Lucy stood there shocked at the sight of her mother._

_ "Mom!?" was all she could manage before tears began falling down her face. Layla just smiled and stretched out her arms and Lucy ran towards her. They embraced for a moment before Lucy spoke again._

_ "Mom, where am I?"_

_ "You are on the road to a better place. I have come to take you away from the world you once knew to a bigger and better world." Layla explained softly as she stroked Lucy's hair. _

_ "Take me away from this world…does that mean..." question Lucy._

_ "Yes, you have passed on from the world. Don't cry Lucy, because the place where you are going has no sadness, or pain. It has nothing but joy and peace."_

_ "Does that mean we'll be together forever?" asked Lucy while wiping away her tears._

_ "Yes." Layla answered, slowly leading Lucy into the light._

_ "Wait, before I go, can I ask for a favour?" Lucy asked her mother with pleading eyes. Layla paused for a moment, and finally agreed._

-Back in the hospital room-

"Lucy…Lucy…Lucy, you can't leave me…Lucy…" cried Natsu as he gripped Lucy's lifeless hands in his hands. Suddenly, he felt something on his shoulder. He turned slowly, and opened his eyes with shock at the sight of Lucy beautifully dressed and looks as if she was healthy and well again.

'Lucy…but how…" was all Natsu could manage before Lucy silenced him. Lucy bent down and gently laid her lips onto Natsu's.

"Natsu, I don't have much time to say goodbye. So when I'm gone, promise me you'll smile and be happy?" Lucy asked softly. Natsu slowly nodded and tears ran freely down his face. He knew what this meant. Lucy has passed on, and he has to stay strong and happy, for her. Lucy turned to her father, who stood there shocked and wide-eyed. She gracefully made her way over to her father's side. She embraced him for a few moments before kissing him on the cheek.

"Father, I love you. Thank you for everything. Stay strong." Was all Lucy said before she turned to Natsu.

"Both of you, I'll see you one day so please be happy. I have to go now. But before I go, there is someone who wants to see you father." Said Lucy turning to look at Jude. Beside Lucy appeared Layla.

"Layla...!" was all Jude could say before they embraced. Layla kissed him softly on the lips and slowly slipped out of his embrace.

"Jude, I've missed you. I love you." Layla turned to Lucy and held out her hand. Lucy gently held onto her mother's hand and turned to Natsu and smiled. I love you was the last thing she said before disappearing into thin air.

Natsu stared blankly at the empty space where Lucy had disappeared and rubbed the tears from his eyes. He looked at Jude to see him sitting back into the chair with his head hung low. Natsu turned back to look at Lucy's body as the nurses folded the blanket over her face. Natsu smiled a little as he saw a hint of a smile on Lucy's face.

"She's finally at peace." Mumbled Natsu as the nurses and Doctor Gouru wheeled Lucy out of the room. Natsu wiped his runny nose and let the same nurse who pushed him here bring him back to his ward. Just then, Jude stood up abruptly and blocked his way.

"Mr. Heartifilia! What are you doing?" cried Natsu in surprise as the nurse braked so suddenly he nearly was flung out of his chair. He could see that Jude had been crying as his eyes were red and puffy and his nose was runny.

"Natsu, Lucy told us to be strong. But I can't do it for Lucy in my own house because she's…..gone. So will you please consider staying with me?" Natsu looked at Jude's face in surprised. He could see that he was just as depressed as he was but he knew that Lucy would have wanted him to look after her father. So he slowly nodded his head. Jude nodded and got out of the way.

Natsu looked back into the room so see Jude standing sitting on the couch with his head hung low_. I have to support him. For Lucy_, thought Natsu as he was pushed away.

**Ahhh second last chapter guys Xd Sorry I haven't been updating for a long time. Thanks for all the support so far and the end is near so yea! I'll update really soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

-2 weeks later-

Natsu nervously rang the doorbell of the Heartifilia Masion. It's been a week since he's left the hospital and he had successfully been able to start walking again in that short period of time. The doctors were amazed at his recovery speed and he quickly became a very memorable patient in the hospital.

A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Butler.

"You must be Mr. Dragneel. Please come in. Master Heartifilia is waiting for you in his study." Butler stood aside and Natsu stepped into the mansion with his mouth hanging open. He has never been to the place where Lucy had spent her childhood. He looked at the huge chandelier hanging down from the ceiling, followed by two grand spiral staircases leading to the second layer of the mansion. Natsu set down his suitcases as two maids came and took it away. And right in the middle of the room hung two portraits of Layla and Lucy. Seeing Lucy's bright smiling face made Natsu smiled. _I hope you are doing well Lucy,_ thought Natsu as he followed Butler to Jude's study.

"Come in." said Jude as butler knocked on the door. When Natsu entered Jude's study, he was equally in awe as he was when he first stepped into the house. There were floor to ceiling shelves filled with books and various ornaments. And there was plenty of light in the room as there was a huge window letting in all the sunlight of today.

"How are you Natsu?" asked Jude as they settled down on the sofa in the middle of the room. Butler poured them some tea as Natsu was still quietly looking around.

"This is a very impressive house Mr. Heartifilia." Complimented Natsu as he took a sip of his tea.

"Thank you Natsu. Please, call me Jude." replied Jude, smiling. There was a brief moment of silence before a knock on the door interrupted their thoughts.

"Come in." said Jude as he placed his cup down. Gray walked into the door, followed by a blue haired lady.

"Ahh Gray, you came." Said Jude as he hugged Gray.

"Of course I came. By the way Jude, this is Juvia, my fiancée." Said gray as he introduced the blue haired lady. Juvia was dressed in a beautiful white dress with turquoise patterns on it. Her eyes were not too far apart, her nose was just the right size and angle, and the dress she wore really complimented her figure. _No wonder Gray likes her_, though Natsu as Jude introduced Natsu to Gray.

"It is time for the memorial service sir." Sad Butler as he held open the doors of the study.

"Let's go shall we?" said Jude as he led the way to the garden.

Natsu stood in front of the crowd as the coffin was lowered into the ground. Once the coffin was in place, Natsu was the first one to place his bouquet on it. He wiped away the tears in his eyes and stepped back to let Jude to put his flowers on the coffin.

After the service was over, Natsu went into the mansion and Butler showed him his room, where he will be staying for a long time. Natsu sat on the balcony outside his room and loosened his tie as he looked out into the garden of the estate.

"Lucy, I will love you for as long as I live." Whispered Natsu as he stared up into the sky. A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in." replied Natsu as he walked into the room. Jude walked into the room and settled down in one of the chairs beside the window.

"Natsu, come here. I have to talk to you about something." Natsu obediently sat down and waited.

"Since I have no one else to inherit my company, would you like to take over for me when I'm gone?" Natsu looked at Jude's tired wrinkled face and nodded.

"I will do my best."

-70 years later-

Natsu sat in his wheelchair as the maid pushed him out into the garden of the Heartifilia estate.

"Good morning." Cried Natsu to the gardeners in the distance. Soon, he reached the gravestones of the Heartifilia family. He got up slowly and changed the flowers in the 3 vases with fresh ones picked from the garden's flower beds. He settled back into his wheelchair and stroked the smooth petals of the flowers with his old, wrinkled hands.

_I'll see you soon Lucy. I still love you and always will._

_.__  
_**That was the last chapter guys. Thank you guys for all your support ^.^ I hope you guys liked the whole fanfic so yea! Thanks!**


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